A Nazarick New Year
by atheistbasementdragon
Summary: It's New Years Eve, and a moment of memory sparks a change in the New World. Set in the God Rising AU towards the end of the war, a little optimism in moments of despair, longing, or dreary routine, can change everything forever. A simple one shot. Happy New Year to the best fandom a writer could ever ask for.


**AN: Happy New Year to all of you.**

**May the worst day ahead, be no harder than the best day behind. May those who have lost, find comfort, may those who have gained, be a blessing to those around them, may those with noble ambitions see them advanced, and if any of you should pass away, may you be remembered well for generations, and may those who dance on your graves, get KINKS in their knees!**

**I didn't do a Christmas Special this year, but I couldn't resist a New Years one, so I banged this one out in about ten minutes. Is it my best work... well maybe not. But what Ainz says to others, are my heartfelt wishes for all of you in the BEST FANDOM THERE IS! Make this year a great one, I'm rooting for you! :) **

_...Nazarick…_

"So that's what we did in the first world when the new year came along." Ainz said with great amusement in his voice, his blank skeletal face never revealed what he thought, but it was times like this, when he spoke of his friends and his life before, the place he went when he was leaving them behind, that they could recognize the things he felt most clearly.

"That is… fascinating, My Lord." Demiurge said as he took in every bit of knowledge, "But why did the Supreme Beings shout so much?"

Ainz laughed, "The reason lies so far in the depths of time that nobody remembers anymore, some said it was to drive away wicked spirits so that they wouldn't trouble us during the year to come. Others said it was to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year.

"Forget the shouting, I want to know about the kissing!" Albedo said as she slid closer to where Ainz sat on the couch. His easy reclining suddenly took on a discomforting edge.

"Yes, who did you kiss during those times, Lord Ainz!" Aura asked, "Did you ever kiss Lady Bukubukuchagama?!" She grinned hopefully, and Ainz ignored Albedo's glare to let out a deep and joyful laugh.

"No, I never did, even though we cast ourselves into this world together often, our other bodies were very, very far apart, and we never came close enough to kiss with those, we did spend a new years eve here once where it came 'close' but… never quite." He sighed wistfully as he looked away in thought. "Maybe, had things been different…" He began, only to stop still when Albedo rushed her hand to grasp at his.

His head snapped around to look at her as she caught him off guard, the moment of concern was wiped away when he saw her face.

"My lord please don't!" She said breathlessly, drawing herself in close, "Please don't get lost that way again, I can hardly bear to see you taken from the present and lost in the past." She raised his skeletal fingers up so that they were close to her cheek, and as he did nothing to resist or remove them, she brought them to her cheek and let herself lean into them.

"The others… our fathers, our mothers who made us are gone, for now at least, but we are still here, and I can think of no better way to start a new year than with you, but we can't have that if you leave us for the lost times. Forgive this selfish request but… please think of those things another day, if you must at all." She smiled weakly, and without thinking, drew herself closer, his red glowing eyes drifted down to her ample breasts.

'Happy New Year to me.' He thought to himself as he took in the best possible view. The other guardians were abuzz with conversation, but when Mare spoke, they went silent. He was fidgeting as he usually did, with his staff, when he asked…

"Why aren't they do anything in the New World? Its s-supposed to b-be important, right? S-So if they don't kn-know better, shouldn't we t-tell them?" He asked, and the various guardians traded looks of contemplation with one another, before one after another their eyes fell to their Lord.

Ainz too, was silent as he thought the matter over. "Yes… a good point Mare. This world seems… a fairly unhappy place in general, very lacking in festivals and celebrations. Alright, we'll bring the New Years celebration to the entirety of our lands, including the armies in the field. Since the Forton Conference is over, and everybody has returned, it should be simple to provide the armies in the field with all the alcohol they could possibly need. Also… have some distributed to the prison camps… advise the subject kingdoms of the same, and send word to all field opponents… what's left of them, that military operations will be suspended for one night, and… as a token of goodwill, since at least that last scrap of an army is worth some… give them a cask of good wine. Not great wine. But good wine."

The guardians could not move fast enough for their own liking, they flew from the room like arrows launched from bows to carry out his instructions, but while they worked tirelessly, Ainz himself had one thing he wanted to do on his own to make it special.

He went to the treasury and reclaimed an item left behind by Lady Bukubukuchagama herself, and then went to the Throne of Kings, and waited.

_...Arwintar…_

The gate caught the emperor off guard, that much he couldn't have denied given that he had been standing when it popped open in his throne room and he fell backward into the royal seat and wondered if he'd bruised his royal arse.

In front of him stood Lord Mare, and behind him came cart after cart filled with barrels. "Lord Mare what…" He began, only for Mare to interrupt.

"I...Ah, excuse me. Lord Ainz w-wanted you to know this, and to have this g-gift, for you a-and everybody." He said, and explained in his stuttering, halting way what the Sorcerer King had said.

Jircniv fought to control his face as the depth of his lord's generosity and will that his people should have something to celebrate, and to celebrate with. "His will, it will be carried out, as best we are able, this year, and it will radiate from here to all the cities and towns of my empire, thereafter."

Mare was gone almost before he could believe it, and were it not for the piles of barrels and the bugged out eyes of the guards he'd called to see to these things, he would have thought himself mad.

His wife approached, drawn by the sound and chaos, and he smiled at her with moistened eyes, which she wiped away as she drew herself into his arms. "Husband?" She asked. "What has happened?"

"Something wonderful." He said quietly, "I believe we are seeing the start of something truly great, and for that, I am very grateful, that I should live to see it." he approached and popped the top off one barrel for himself, and a servant took the initiative to provide two simple cups to the supreme ruler of the Baharuth Empire.

He dipped his cup into the rich red liquid, handed it to his wife, then did so again for himself. He raised it high as his servants began to rush about to work the will of his lord.

"To the year past, and year ahead, and to you, my bloody rival, and my very good friend, we all drink tonight." Jircniv said, and raising her glass in turn to accept the toast, they drank deeply of the wine they were given, before casting aside the empty cups, and drinking deeply of one another's lips.

_...Wheaton's Ruins…_

Sebas stood in front of a prostrate Neia, she had still not found it in herself to look him in the eye yet, such was the depth of her shame over what she'd done to Tuare. "Rise up, Neia Baraja, I am not here for that now." He explained, and she slowly, uncertainly, rose to equally uncertain and unstable feet.

"Lord Sebas…?" She asked humbly.

He spoke of the memory of Lord Ainz and his will for this one evening, and behind him came wagon after wagon. Skana approached her wife and wrapped her arms around her as if to lend the invincible pope her strength. "The new year is on us, it is not my will that the past haunt us forever, my wife has forgiven you, and so I must. Do not forget your past mistakes, but do not live in the moments of their making forever, there is a year ahead, embrace the opportunity it presents, with the blessing of our Lord."

Neia could only mutely nod while Skana held as tight as she could to the shaking form of her lover.

She leaned in to Neia's ear and whispered happy words, the little things she knew would keep ill thoughts at bay, at least for awhile, and for that while, Neia leaned back into her wife's embrace, and let it happen.

_...South of Crossroads…_

"You can't be serious." General Boabdil said to the messenger.

"I am." The red headed woman said. "It is my master's will, and it is done, we won't hurt any of you tonight, it's a sacred day in the first world of the supreme beings, the start of a new year. I'm going back to spend it with my general and my best friend, but you and all your army are safe. General Enri gives her word, as does the Sorcerer King himself. You may drink, toast, and celebrate your hopes for the time ahead."

Boabdil looked around to his staff, they wore equally mystified expressions, but General Enri's name had them at some ease. "I… have no choice but to believe you, but… one small thing?" He asked.

"Yes?" Lupusregina Beta asked curiously.

"If Vice Commander Ira lives, give her a cup too." He said optimistically.

"She does, and… I can't promise, but I think General Enri will agree." Lupusregina replied with a bemused and cocky expression on her face.

The matchless beauty turned to walk away, as she did so, she paused and looked back one more time and said, "Eat, drink, and be merry with your lives tonight, tomorrow some will die, but tonight at least, they can sleep with a warm belly full of wine and have a little hope. Don't squander that chance, most of them won't get it a second time."

She stepped out, and before they could ask any sort of questions, she was gone, leaving only a barrel behind to prove she'd been there at all.

The senior military leaders of the last army of the Slane Theocracy looked at it as if it might bite them.

"What should we do?" One of the younger ones asked, smacking his lips in anticipation.

Boabdil approached the barrel, drew a knife, and popped the top, "I've seen the Sorcerer King's power, if he wanted to kill me, I'm fairly sure he wouldn't bother with poison, get me a cup, and get some for yourselves, tell all soldiers they're off duty tonight, and break out whatever we have left of our hard liquor supplies and beer."

"Sir! Yes Sir!" The officers said enthusiastically as they scurried to obey.

"We're doing what now?" Raymond asked and stroked his beard as he tried to understand what Solution was saying to him.

"Just what I said. I barely understood the message myself, but I went all the way back to Nazarick to get this barrel, and it's a gift of the Supreme Being to celebrate the hopes of the New Year." She slapped the barrel sharply, cracking a hole in the top and tossing him a nearby cup.

He caught it easily and shrugged, "Well whether it makes sense or not, I like the sound of it. Tell you what, we'll do it, but inform all the other servants and residents, bring them all in, and let's all drink together. There's no hope for a New Year if we haven't got anyone worth having hopes for." He said thoughtfully, Solution shrugged.

"I'll take your word for it, but if you try to have that New Years kiss with me, I'll melt your lips off." She winked at him, leaving him entirely unsure if she was kidding or not, but it was funny enough to make the weary cardinal laugh, and for that, he was very grateful, as was the rest of his house, for the finest wine any of them would ever drink.

So it was around the empire and beyond, wherever word and wine could be carried, as the day turned into night, and the moon, bright and beautiful, hovered over the world.

Ainz checked the time repeatedly, and then as the hour drew close, he activated the first item, calling up vast numbers of messenger demons that would relay every word he wished them to. He then dispatched them all over, from the farthest northern city of Re-Estize, to the smallest village of the Elven Kingdom, overhead they hovered, and slowly counted down, their voices calling out for all to hear below, and look with wonder, awe, or fear, but never to forget, no matter what they felt.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

He activated the second item, seated upon the mighty world class item throne, using the world class item staff, and using a special item made for New Years in Yggdrasil long ago.

Two.

One.

The second item activated, and from every messenger demon, a great white light erupted, a special firework item launched, shot into the sky, and erupted, lighting up the night as if they gave birth to thousands upon thousands of stars.

Finally he activated one more thing… a simple recording, one of many that he had, and let it play, his dearest friends, singing Auld Lang Syne together, when the guild was at its height, and all the world he cared about was perfect.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

Chorus:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

II

And surely you'll buy your pint cup!

and surely I'll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

Chorus

III

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine;

But we've wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

Chorus

IV

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine†;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

Chorus

V

And there's a hand my trusty friend!

And give me a hand o' thine!

And we'll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

Chorus

The echoed voices of the fortyone, in all their happiness and glory, carried through the open mouths of countless demons, to the open ears of those who knew and those who didn't yet know, just what it was all about.

In Arwintar, Jircniv had not lost the embrace of his wife as the New Year began. In the ruins of Wheaton, a broken soul embraced her wife, and melted into a kiss that, Skana hoped, carried with it all the hopes she still had with her, as if she could hope enough for two, when one could bear no more. In Carne, a loving husband looked up at the sky to watch the sort of explosion he'd never imagined, listened to the song, and missed his wife in Crossroads, and blew a kiss to the endless wind, while in Crossroads, a wife reached out and grabbed it, imagining that even though N'feria was far away in body, he was not far away in thought.

In the camp of General Boabdil, a cup was raised by the greatest, and the last, of the Theocracy's generals and his staff, to a noble enemy and a tomorrow that… as they listened to the impossible singing, the beautiful lyrics, and watched the impossible lightshow, suddenly didn't seem quite so bleak, even in the frozen winter chill.

Ainz finally cut off the music, but before he banished the demons, he decided to say a few words for himself.

"The year has, for many of you, been a hard one, and in the world I come from, I have seen what this means. But each year's ending presents an opportunity to do something different with the new one. So as this year has come to its final end, I share with you all my fervent wish, that the hardships of the past do not remain the destiny for the future. May the worst day of your tomorrows, be no worse than the best days of the year behind you. Happy New Year… from the Sorcerer King."

He dispelled the demons, and relaxed on his throne, and turned a thought to the lost voices. 'My friends, wherever you are, whatever you do, I hope the year ahead is just that, a Happy One. But for now, I have a job to do, making sure that the world I make here, is one you'd be proud of.'

He then got up from his throne, and went to his office to get to work in order to do just that.


End file.
